


Noticeable

by celticheart72



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo Card #1 [2]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Bruises, Complete, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 00:49:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19140259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celticheart72/pseuds/celticheart72
Summary: You don't do a very good job covering the bruises and Rafael notices them.For Bad Things Happen Bingo square Bruises





	Noticeable

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: referenced domestic abuse

The compact in your hand went flying across your desk when you heard the knock on your office door.

“Hold on!”

Your secretary was off today, and you called Rafael to ask that he take your arraignment scheduled for this morning. It had to be him, he only had yours and one other this morning and he was nothing if not prompt for every damn thing. It was nice when it came to date nights, not so much when you needed a minute to cover your face.

Once you got ahold of the compact you sat back on your knees and opened it to look at your eye and cheek. Well, as long as you keep your hair down over that side of your face you should be fine you thought.

When you stood up you set the compact on your desk and smoothed your skirt down before turning to walk to the door.

Rafael stood on the other side, pursed lips and folder in hand, looking annoyed.

“I do have cases of my own to handle you know.” He held your case file out and stepped into your office.

“I’m aware Raf. I apologize, I was delayed this morning.” You didn’t dare tell him why.

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at you.

You moved to the other side of your desk. “I really appreciate you handling the arraignment for me. I know B&E isn’t your thing anymore.”

“What’s going on with you today, hermosa?” His eyes scanned your face and followed the line of your hair covering your eye and cheek.

“I don’t know what you mean, Raf.”

“You’re not yourself like you’re hiding something.”

The words died in your throat when you started to tell him you weren’t hiding anything. Rafael Barba could spot a lie a mile away and you didn’t like the idea of lying to him. “I’ll be okay.”

“You’ll be okay?” He moved around the desk to stand next to where you sat. “What are you hiding?”

He was so close to you that you had to tilt your head back slightly to look at him and your hair shifted back from your face just slightly. Apparently, it was enough.

“Dios mio! What the hell happened?” Gentle fingers brushed the hair back from the barely concealed bruise on your cheek and eye and his thumb lightly traced your skin.

You gave him a wry smile. “Is it really that noticeable?”

“Yes, it is. Don’t make me ask what happened again.”

“My ex came to my apartment last night. He got upset when I wouldn’t let him in and my face met his fist.”

“Did his hands meet a pair of handcuffs?”

“I don’t suppose you’re going to let this go now are you?”

“Hermosa, he bruised your face. Where does it end?” Rafael’s fingers skimmed lightly over your aching cheekbone.

“Okay, fine.”

“Good. We can report it to Liv.”

“Did I really do that bad a job at covering the bruise?”

The man next to you shook his head. “It looks like you got into a bar fight last night.”

You reached over your desk to grab your compact. Looking at your eye and cheek again you realized the makeup you used to hide the ugly purple bruise just made you look sallow. What were you even thinking?

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my work kudos are appreciated. If you love it comments are wonderful. If you have constructive criticism or questions let's talk. If you leave blatantly rude or negative comments, know that no hate is allowed here and will be deleted. And if you read my work and are too shy to interact right now, know that's okay too.


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